Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Hi, Well, today has been quite a day. They basically finished the renovation on the pool mechanics and we had our first swim, and we had the 'Storm of the Century' this evening, complete with black-out. I see a few of you still remember the 80s. That era gets a lot of negative criticism when it comes to music, but what about:"You play tricks on my mind You're everywhere But you're so hard to find. It gets so __...So __ You know it's __, I wanna tell you it's the same for me...__, __, emergency..." Hint: If you're anywhere in the ballpark on this one, you should have it by now. One of the beautiful sights we saw this weekend was the recently completed 'New Clock Tower' in the center of town. It was designed by Chalermchai (designer of Wat Rong Khun) and it's amazing. It's this giant structure at the center of a traffic circle. It's done in gold and at night it's lit from below and the colors of the lights keep changing. The clock dial also changes colors. I suppose it could cause quite a few accidents. I'll have to go and park and take some photos one night. The big story is the storm. We had just finished our after-swim showers when the wind started coming up. It increased to a point where the trees and the house were howling. Very eerie, scary movie stuff. We knew that rain would follow and one look out the back door told us to batten down the hatches. We rushed around the house closing windows and doors (there are a lot of windows and doors) and then it hit with a force we'd never seen. In no time a all, water was coming in under the patio doors, lightning was flashing and the lights were flickering. Ooooh. We got all the flashlights out and got ready. More flickering, a few more leaks and then it was lights out. We had dinner by candle light and were totally impressed that Boot had managed to finish preparing the meal by flashlight. She's amazing. Anyway, we now know there's a place in the roof by the kitchen where water pools, and comes into the house. In a mild rain, no water comes in, but in a gale, it leaks. Measures will be taken to make sure it doesn't happen again. It's all over now and the lights are on and we're enjoying a pleasant evening. Oh, BamBam was pretty calm through the whole ordeal, which is also pretty amazing. Usually, thunder and lightning upset animals. She just stayed close and knew we'd take care of her, I guess. Have a Happy Tuesday.

Peace, Danny

"As I grow older, I pay less attention to what people say.I just watch what they do."~Andrew Carnegie

Monday, September 29, 2008

Hi, Back from a busy, interesting weekend. We spent time downtown, saw new sights and had a dinner party. Didn't get to swim, but saw a beautiful pool (drool) and saw a bit of history. Hang on. The weekend song was "Do It Again" by Steely Dan. It was from 1972 and, judging by your response, is still a 'hit'. And now:"You're not shy, You get around. You wanna fly, don't want your feet on the ground. You stay up, you won't come down. You wanna live, you wanna move to the sound..." Clue: Has something to do with immediacy, and gratification. Hmm. Early 80s. We gave Boot Saturday off since we were having guests for dinner on Sunday. That meant going out for lunch. Our new friend Tay told us about a resort hotel near us that had a nice buffet, so we tried it out. It turns out we'd been to this place a long time ago when it was still being completed. There are pics of it in the early part of the Flickr site. Anyway, we had a pleasant lunch and now have someplace close to home that's different. We went into town in the late afternoon and got a long overdue massage. From there we went to the Night Bazaar for a dinner like the 'old days'. We shared a plate of chicken fried rice and had watermelon shakes. Then we strolled around a bit and went over to Tops mini market, looking for snacks. I noticed a woman with a fancy baby stroller in the aisles and finally got to a point where I could take a peak. There was no baby in the stroller, just a dog, with little ties in it's hair and everything. She let us take a picture and I'll post it soon. On the way home we had a freaky experience. Just after turning on to our soi (street) I noticed the motorbike in front of us swerve and then I saw why. Right in the middle of the road was a guy standing in a red apron, arms stretched out like a scare-crow, with a distorted look on his face. I hit the brakes, he jumped aside and we slowly made our way home, still in shock. Hmm. Sunday we had dinner with Paladorn and his family. He's the artist from the N.B. that I told you about. His wife does nail art. Their daughter 'Paint', who is almost 18, is also an artist and is hoping to go to a university in Bangkok. Their son Pie is 10 and is into computers. We had a really fun time during dinner and after, we looked at Paint's MySpace page and showed them Ebay. Actually found a link to see Ebay in Thai. After the dinner was over and the guest had left, we watched the Singapore Formula One Gran Prix. That's the history part of the weekend. It was the first night race and it was on the streets of the city. Without going into detail, it was awesome. So much more to tell you, but I'll save it. Have a Fabulous Week.

Peace, Danny

"We attract hearts by the qualities we display;we retain them by the qualities we possess."~Suard

Friday, September 26, 2008

Hi, Today was a day of getting over our little 'vacation'. I guess we walked more than we thought, or something. So, we just hung around the house and dealt with a host of visitors. We had a follow-up with the garden crew (one woman who came and detailed the yard), a couple of visits with Johan and a long visit with Kak. Then there was, of course, the playing with the dog. I got lots of mail on the second day of this song. I'm glad you remembered. Lane sent the details: "Magic Carpet Ride" by John Kay and Steppenwolf, September of 1968. He states that: "I think the best reference (to the song) was Zefram Cochrane plays the song during Earth's very first warp speed sequence in the film Star Trek:First Contact, saying 'We can't leave without it'". This weekend, see if you know this one: "Now you swear and kick and beg us that you're not a gamblin' man. Then you find you're back in Vegas with a handle in your hand...You go back Jack, __ __ __, wheel turnin' 'round and 'round..." Hint: It's by a duo that had a tremendous career, broke up and got back together. The lyrics are from the last verse. This is a big Formula One weekend. The first ever night race is being held in Singapore and I'm watching a practice session right now on Thai TV's Star Sports channel. Then I'll switch over and watch the Speed Channel reporting on Slingbox. Hey, there's only three more races after this, so I gotta pack it in. (Ha) Check your local listings. It's looking like we won't be swimming by Sunday, but those are the breaks. I mean really, what's a few more days? Actually, we're starting to miss the daily routine, so it is becoming a 'thing'. We've been assured that it won't be that long. I must say, the new equipment looks much more substantial and Johan presented us with our own custom manual for operating everything. There are things that I meant to tell you about from our two day trip that I will probably remember over the weekend. What ever comes back to me, I'll pass on to you next week. (must remember to take notes) I think it's time for the 'Funnies'. This was sent to me by my friend Alan. Have a Great WeekEnd.

Peace, Danny

An Older Woman Explains:"I very quietly confided to my best friend that I was having an affair.She turned to me and asked, 'Are you having it catered'?And that, my friend, is the sad definition of 'OLD'!"

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Hi, The rest of our stay in Chiang Mai was very productive. We endured the buffet breakfast at the hotel, and packed early so we'd have time to do other things. I called a friend in the States and Lisa bought a book. Of course, there's more. I was so hoping to get a ton of mail on the first day of this song. I just knew the hints would give it away. Oh well, at least a few of you got it. Today's line will surely wake up your musical muscles. Think outside the box. (or bottle) and it will come."Well, you don't know what We can find Why don't you come with me little girl On a __ __ __." Hint: I've given it away. We hired one of the drivers who waits in front of the hotel to take us to the Apple Store. It turns out they were able to fix the laptop and it was ready to go when we arrived. That was a major relief. Then it was back to the hotel, and off to Pantip Plaza. Our primary mission was to price printer ink. We ended up just looking around a bit. Oh, paper on sale is always tempting. We managed to have a pretty mellow morning and early afternoon. Riding to the bus station, we talked about how we never thought we'd want to live in a small town, but that's where we live. Chiang Mai is not a small town. It's big and growing. It's a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there. I guess it makes sense that I'd be partial to a smaller city/town, since I grew up in Pasadena when it was much 'younger' and spent over thirty years in Culver City. Now that I think about it, Culver City is much smaller than Pasadena. Ok, I'm a small town kind of guy. (whatever that means) Our bus ride home was completed in record time: 2 hours and 30 minutes. Normal time is 3 hours. The driver drove with his horn, honking at everything in sight. Hey, it's a big bus and when it comes up on you honking, you move out of the way. I got a big kick out of walking through the bus station in Chiang Rai, dismissing all the taxi and Tuk-Tuk drivers, letting them know that I had my own car. Ha! Another first. When we got to the house, BamBam was so happy to see us she went a little crazy. The yard was full of activity, with the landscape people doing their thing and the pool guys wrapping up the day's work. It's really good to be back, have a meal we like and slow the whole thing down. That's about it for now. Have a Big Thursday.

Peace, Danny

"Every action of our lives touches on some chordthat will vibrate in eternity."~Edwin Hubbel Chapin

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Hi, Well, this is certainly later in the morning than usual. (Ha) That's because we've been out on the streets of Chiang Mai - actually, the Night Bazaar. We've had a wonderful, productive day and I'll tell you about it in a minute. It seems as thought Christopher, Lisa and Frank are the only ones to come up with "Silouettes" as the song. It was sung by The Rays back in '57 and covered by Herman's Hermits in the '60s. Now you know. This next one came a little later. It's Rock."I like to dream, yes I do. Right between the sound machine. On a cloud of sound I drift in the night, every place she goes is right. Flies far, flies near, to the stars away from here..." Hint: They were named after a writer and were born to be wild. So, we arranged to park the truck at our 'old place', The Wancome Hotel. From there we walked to the bus station and took the big bus for the usual three hour trip. After getting settled into the hotel, we set out for the iStudio, a mini Apple store at The Central. You'll recall, that's the giant five story mall. We had them look at Lisa's laptop and see if they could get Airport to work. They couldn't so they sent us to their main shop. We had to leave it overnight for an accurate diagnosis and decided to return to the mall and look around. That's when we got our first ride with a woman Tuk-Tuk driver. It was a much different ride than with the 'cowboys'. Before I go on, I must tell you about our room. We're staying in a hotel we used once before, but this time we decided to get the deluxe room. Still cheap by U.S. standards, this put us on the 'Executive Floor' in a V.I.P. room. Oh my. It's a nice room, with daisies in the soap dish and on the bath mat. The big deal is the fact that every thing in the fridge is free. Now, if only there was something that we wanted. After dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, we got another Tuk-Tuk driven by another woman. Her name was Kaek and she was wearing a cowboy hat and had lots of personality. At the end of our ride, we took her picture and she gave us her business card. She was sharp. Tomorrow we'll go back to the Apple shop and find out what's going on with the laptop and then catch the two o'clock bus for home. As in the past, this is a nice place to visit, but it really is a big city and we miss the small town vibe. It's time for a Wacky Wednesday.

Peace, Danny

"The lure of the distant and the difficult is deceptive.The great opportunity is where you are."~John Burroughs

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Hi, Today was a day of observation and revelation. It was laid-back yet full. It rained on the house, but not where we were. If all that sounds rather mysterious, read on. "Lost control and rang your bell, I was sore. Let me in or else I'll beat down your door. Then two strangers who have been two __ on the shade said to my shock "you're on the wrong block" Clue: You already got it. I'll be watching my mail to see who's paying attention. This was the day we decided to go to see Tay (pronounced Tdie), who owns a beauty salon. Boot led us there on her bike, with BamBam riding on the floor board. At first that was a little hard to watch, but we got used to it. So now she's a 'biker'. Anyway, it turns out that Tay doesn't actually do any hair, she's the boss and she dresses up and visits with the clients. She is quite an entrepreneur, and according to Boot, can sell anything. It was a very beautiful shop-house with very comfortable furnishings and decorations. What was really cool was watching the Thai TV channel they had on, and checking out the videos. There was a food show that had West Coast Hip Hop playing in the background. More on that later. The whole time we were at Tay's, the weather was mostly sunny, with occasional clouds. We were about ten minutes from our house. When we returned home, about three hours later, we found that it had rained. Love that tropical weather. While we were out, Johan and his crew started rebuilding the pool pump room, as it's called. We have discovered that more things were wrong with what we got. I won't go into detail, but I'll just say that I'm glad we're getting things done right by someone who knows how to do it right. Oh, and most of the water got pumped out of the pool today, so there will be no swimming until the weekend. Oh well, we'll be gone for two days so it may not be so bad. I have been very fascinated by the 'funk' of Isaan music. This is the Northeastern area of Thailand and has it's own distinct culture. The music from the region has a swing to it that makes me smile. I have come to the conclusion that this is why Western funk and hip hop seem to have meshed into Thai culture the way they have. I mean, can you imagine a hard core rap track as the background music for cooking with Martha? I don't think so. I'm no musicologist (actually I am) but it fits and I plan to listen more and delve into this. Very interesting. Tomorrow we take an early (9:15am) bus to Chiang Mai. I'll write to you from there. Have a Happy Tuesday.

Peace, Danny

"The day the child realizes that all adultsare imperfect he becomes an adolescent;the day he forgives them, he becomes an adult;the day he forgives himself, he becomes wise."~Aiden Nowlan

Monday, September 22, 2008

Hi, Greetings from the ever changing Land of Smiles. Yet another government is being put in place, Bangkok observed 'No Car Day' (we think), and we are both involved in exciting new projects. Stay tuned. I didn't get any response from you about the weekend song. Hmm. It was "Farmer John" as performed by The Premiers and written by Don and Dewey. So, I guess this means I 'stumped' you. I know, it was a little obscure, but there are those moments when an oldie pops into my head and I have to share. (Ha) Ok, maybe this one will be a little easier. Let's see if you remember:"Took a walk and passed your house late last night, all the shades were pulled and drawn way down tight..." Clues: It's a French word that has to do with light. It had a successful cover in the mid 60s, but I'm looking for the original artists. Lisa has been quite busy with her painting. Her new studio is allowing her to 'fly'. She's created a series of dancers with two word captions that go with the paintings. The plan is to make tote bags that can be used for shopping or just carrying 'stuff'. The first set will be a Thai dancer and a hip hop dancer. They're at the printers now and as soon as we get them back, you'll get to see. We're very excited about this. I'll keep you posted of course. I'm working with Ming and Blue on a project that Ming created to start off his freshman year at Stanford. It's a website for new Music, CD, Career Promotion and a Music News Service. It’s called "Rising Stardom". He has put together a unique ‘Pixel Grid’ home page that will allow 100 artists, singers, musicians, DJ's, etc. to rent 80 x 80 pixel blocks, to post their CD covers, logos, or photo (etc.) on the home page grid. Each block is linked to the artist's website or CD seller (such as CD Baby or Amazon.com or where ever they want it linked). Move your mouse over each CD cover before you click on it. Ming has put in countless hours in the concept and construction of this new site (He's still tweeking and adjusting things). Also check out the live Music News Service feeds which are automatically updated daily. There's a feed for most main world genres (including Jazz) with many articles from which to choose. Be sure and check out the 'About Us' link as well as the 'Blog' page, where I'll be posting on a regular basis. Just click on the link:http://www.risingstardom.com/Rising_Stardom_Home.html One more thing: Be sure and click on the Google Ads, they pay the rent. Aside from all that, we've been doing the usual: swimming, playing with BamBam and generally enjoying life. I have a lot more pictures to upload to the Flickr site and I hope to get to it this week. Tomorrow Johan and his crew will begin 'rebuilding' the mechanical aspect of the pool. Wednesday we're going down to Chiang Mai for a little overnight trip. I'd call it a getaway, but that would imply that we're trying to escape from something. It's more like another adventure. Have a Great Week.

Peace, Danny

"Things turn out best for the peoplewho make the best of the way things turn out."~Unknown

Friday, September 19, 2008

Hi, Well, another amazing, productive, relaxing, fun-filled, hot and humid week comes to an end. I know I probably missed a few, but 'oh well'. The song was "Never Can Say Goodbye" and it was first recorded by The Jackson Five, then Gloria Gaynor and then Issac Hayes. It was written by actor/writer Clifton Davis. Lane wrote to say that Gloria Gaynor's LP was the first Disco album. "Mmmm, __ __, I'm in love with your daughter. The one, with the champagne eyes. I love the way she walks, I love the way she talks...." Clues: If you Google the lyric, you'll most likely end up thinking this is a Neil Young song. Wrong. It's an oldie from way back. Now you know. The title is a title and a name. Hmm. Boot was sick this morning so we took care of ourselves again today. The floor guys came in the morning. We didn't feel like dealing with the Friday lunch rush at Big C so we waited here and watched one of our series. We have this lunch 'tradition' that has evolved. We watch one of our SciFi adventures. We currently travel between Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis. We started at the beginning and it's such a great contrast to our surroundings and all. Boy, did I wander off the path. Anyway, we went to 'C' for lunch and, of course, had a few things to pick up. When we got home, Pan and his crew were in the back finishing the staining of the furniture. Boot was sleeping so I was on my own to communicate with Pan, who speaks no English. We finally understood each other enough to know that they were going to wait a bit, the put the lacquer on everything. The stain job came out great. Now all the furniture is the same wood tone and there are no rough edges. So let's party. This evening we sat on our front porch and watched BamBam run, hunt and play. She's become quite the little 'action dog', jumping over the little hedges that frame the lawn. They're about a foot tall, but she springs over them like they're nothing. I think she like doing it. While we were sitting there, laughing at the dog, Boot came out and said she felt well enough to go to school. She's a dedicated student. Here in LOS, there is this thing that I call 'The Art of the Near Miss'. They must teach it in school, or have it in the driving manual. It's as though everyone is tuned in to close calls and it doesn't phase them. Every now and then lights will flash and there is the occasional horn honk, but nothing like you'd imagine. Today I actually honked at someone. Put all of this in a big city somewhere on another continent, and the chase would be on with ugly consequences. Hmm. It's time for the 'Funnies'. It's also time to start sending me more 'G' rated jokes, or I'll pick some. Ugh. Have a Fantastic WeekEnd.

Peace, Danny

Disney Password

My kids love going to the Web, and they keep track of their passwords by writing them on Post-it notes.

I noticed their Disney password was "MickeyMinnieGoofyPluto," and asked why it was so long.

"Because," my son explained, "they say it has to have at least four characters."

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Hi, Today was a different kind of day. Boot had a doctor appointment in the morning, which meant we had to fend for ourselves at lunch time. No problem. We went into town and hit the pizza place and then stopped by the pharmacy warehouse for a few vitamins. We knew we had a three o'clock appointment with some workers who were supposed to fix some problems with our flooring. It got even more intense as you will see. I'm impressed with how many of you knew the song. I was a little surprised though, some missed the original artists. Hmm."It's that same old dizzy hang-up. Can't do with you or without. Tell me why is it so, don't wanna let you go, __ __ __ __ girl..."Hint: This talented family of five went on to some impressive solo careers. One of them became a king. Before the floor guys arrived, Boot got home. Then Pan arrived with a small crew of guys. Fortunately, we had a list of things to be done and it was good he brought help. So, eventually, we had two floor workers, and Pan and his buddies and BamBam barking at everybody except Pan. At one point Boot said something to Bam and the barking stopped. We still don't know what she said but I really want to know. One of the chores seemed like a simple job of lightly sanding the new furniture and adding a new coat of lacquer. It has turned into a complete refinishing production. They sanded a little too much and now bare wood shows. Oh well, it will be better in the end. See, I'm learning to take these things in stride and look for the rainbow. (555) Everybody will be back tomorrow and hopefully it will all be completed. We still managed to get in a little swim. I've changed my tune about BamBam coming into the pool. Two things convinced me. First of all, we really don't want her swimming whenever she feels like it. Knowing how she loves water, she'd be in there all the time. Second, our friend Ray pointed out that dogs swim with their claws out. Just what we need, a playful dog scratching us in the water. So I told Bam that there were monsters in the water. She just looked at me like I was crazy. If the weather this week is any indication, the rainy season is over. We still might get a shower or two, but it's just dry and hot. Winter can start anytime, as far as I'm concerned. Have a Good Thursday.

Peace, Danny

"Healing in its fullest sense requires looking into our heartand expanding our awareness of who we are."~Mitchell Gaynor

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Hi, This morning we woke up to a hazy, almost foggy sky. We thought it might rain, but it burned off very quickly and turned into a very hot day. The pool guys arrived around 9am and cleaned the very clean pool. What a contrast to the way things had been. BamBam went on a barking binge, acting like she'd never seen them before. She finally calmed down and decided to just watch them. The odd thing is, she never barks at their boss, Johan. They bonded early and he's her friend. Hmm. You came out of the woodwork, finally. Got lots of mail telling me the song was "Paperback Writer" by The Beatles. Next?"Every time I think I've had enough and start heading for the door, there's a very strange vibration piercing me right to the core. It says "Turn around you fool..." Clues: Big hit by a family group and then a disco queen. Something about not being able to let go. The truck sat in the carport all day. We stayed in and stayed cool. We're finding lots of things to do here on the compound. There's a bit of a routine evolving as well. For instance, on most days, we end up answering mail and making calls in the morning, and swimming in the late afternoon. If it doesn't rain, Lisa and Boot water the trees and BamBam runs around like crazy. In between, there are art projects and house things to attend to. Oh, and then there's the relaxing. Here's something interesting: November begins what is called 'winter' and that is the season when BBQs go on sale. That's because it will finally be cool enough to cook over coals (or wood). Most people cook outside all the time, but it's with a gas burner. In the West, we think of BBQ and summer. Hmm. Well, it's time to have a Wacky Wednesday.

Peace, Danny

"Recognize joy when it arrives in the plain brown wrappings of everyday life."~Judith Viorst

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Hi, Today was a good day. It had its usual frustrations, but it also had more of those moments that make you glad you went outside. I'm a little concerned. I didn't get much mail from any of you. I know it's working because Christopher knew the song and I got mail from Buy.com (Ha) So, it's not me. What? You don't know the song? That's hard to believe. Maybe you're just busy."If you really like it you can have the rights, It could make a million for you overnight. If you must return it, you can send it here, But I need a break and I want to be a __ __, __ __" Hint: A desperate song by someone eager to be in the literary trade. Oh, the group's name is spelled differently than the bug. We went back to the silkscreen shop today but ran into a brick wall. There was supposed to be someone there who could show us a sample of what the piece would look like. The person helping us didn't have a clue except to show us an invoice, which didn't help the issue. Lisa ended up calling Third, who called and straightened things out. We left and went to the market, basically for a large trash can. We walked around a bit, bought some bungee cords, trash bags and this stuff they use as twine that appears to be made from plastic. It comes in many colors and is very cool. I'll keep it in the truck. Never know what may need to be tied down. On our way to get the can, several nurses from Overbrook came toward us and the first one gave us a big smile and greeting. One of those moments. I forgot to tell you about another 'moment' over the weekend. We were sitting, talking with a young man who distributes health products. We were talking about travel and our first trip to Thailand. We mentioned that it was in August 2001, which led to talk of the tragedy in N.Y. At one point he said, "I'm so sorry". It was very touching that this young man would make a point of offering condolences to us. Today we did something different with our afternoon swim. We played some music. There we were, doing laps and lounging in the water in Northern Thailand listening to music by the late Brazilian genius Dori Caymmi. It was a perfect soundtrack for the afternoon. Later, Lisa and Boot watered trees in the front and BamBam ran in and out of the water and all over the yard. Nice way to end the afternoon. Today's quote is a little long, so I'm going to let you go. Have a Happy Tuesday.

Peace, Danny

"Without going out of your dooryou can know all things on earth.Without looking out of your windowyou can know the ways of heavenThe farther one travelsthe less one knows

Arrive without travelingSee all without lookingDo all without doing

Stop leavingand you will arriveStop searchingand you will seeStop running awayand you will be found"

Monday, September 15, 2008

Hi, What a weekend. We had many wonderful 'moments' here in Chiang Rai. The weather has been mostly sunny and hot and the water has been perfect. Of course, it's like this most of the time, but since I'm telling you about the weekend, we'll call it special. I don't know what happened to most of you over the weekend. Only got a few messages. That means that most of you didn't respond to "Sweet Little Sixteen". Lane sent this: "By Chuck Berry who released it as a single in January 1958.Its subject is fans of Rock and Roll, and specifically a girl, who has just turned sixteen and who is obsessed with Rock and Roll performers. The song talks about her birthday and how she begs her mum and dad to let her go to a concert. The song describes what she wears - "tight dresses and lipstick; she's sporting high heel shoes". It then goes on to say how 'tomorrow morning she'll be sweet sixteen and back in class again'." Now you know. We'll start the week with an easy one. I hope I get mail."Dear Sir or Madam, will you read my book? It took me years to write, will you take a look? Based on a novel by a man named Lear And I need a job, so I want to be a __ __" Clue: Another one from across the pond by you know who. Pretty easy really. Saturday we drove up the highway to go to Macro. It's like Costco, with giant this and that and multipacks and stuff. We were looking for couple of chairs for outside. We had no place to sit, except on the edge of the patio. We found a couple of very comfortable plastic chairs just to hold us 'til we found something better. We spotted a furniture store just before we entered Macro but we couldn't stop. We did a U turn on the highway (there are turn-outs provided for this) and went back to the store after our shopping. We found a really nice set of wooden furniture plus loungers for an incredible price. We asked the woman if they delivered and she motioned that it would all fit on our truck. Yeah, right. She stacked everything on the truck, tied a few pieces and we were ready to head home, looking very 'Thai' with our load of stuff. I took a couple of pics that I'll post soon. Anyway, we're enjoying our new furniture and it fits perfectly. While we were at Macro, we got stuck in an aisle next to a little family. The mother tried to get her little daughter to 'wai' us, which she finally did, and we got into a conversation. She introduced herself as Khru Poui (Khru means teacher) and told us that her husband was an artist. When Lisa told her she was also an artist her eyes lit up and she told us about their gallery in Ban Du. It's a community just north of us and their place is across from Chiang Rai University. One of those 'moments' that make the day. The smartest dog in Thailand now understands what's going to happen when we walk her out to the yard and say 'go pee'. She goes out, does her business and knows that she's coming inside. That's so cool. If we remember to do that, all is well. Of course, it doesn't mean that she'll stay inside. She comes upstairs with us, but if she knows Boot is doing something downstairs, she want to go and see. There's a place at our table in the bedroom where Boot sits when she reads her email. BamBam now goes to that spot when she comes upstairs. If something startles her, that's her 'safe spot'. She's looking more and more like an Irish Setter, getting bigger every week. When we swim, she comes over to the edge of the pool, cautiously, and sniffs around. I think the day will come when she swims with us. Did I tell you that she dries herself off after Boot bathes her? Today Boot hosed her off and Bam came around to her towel, which was hanging, and got agitated. Lisa spread it out and she got on it and rolled around on each side and on her back. She knows what to do. Hmm. Well, have a Wonderful Week.

Peace, Danny

"If you want congenial companionship,if you want to be loved,you must first think thoughts of love and good-will."~Emmet Fox

Friday, September 12, 2008

Hi, Today it was warm and windy. So windy that the trees made an eerie moaning sound. Good thing it was daytime. It would be very creepy at night. For the record, the song was "Oooh Child" by The Five Stairsteps. That's right, another talented family of five singing their way to limited stardom and with a still active fan base. I still find it interesting that there are groups out there who have broken up years ago and people still keep up with all the members. That's very cool. I think we need a bit of a challenge for the weekend. Yes?"__ __ __, She's got the grown up blues. Tight dress and lipstick, she's sportin' high heal shoes. Oh, but tomorrow morning, she'll have to change her trend..." Clue: An up tempo documentation of a rite of passage. (Ha) A late 50s gem by a brilliant writer/performer. Mostly hung out at the hacienda today. Got a new remote for the front gate with much better distance response. Did the swim thing again and finding that the ambient air temps keep the water at a very nice place. If we have to add a bunch of water, it's chilly, but after a day, it's swimmable (is that a word?). We still don't know what kind of winter we'll have. We've sort of planned on it being too cold to use the pool, but one never knows. The seasons are so different here. We're just ending the rainy season. Then it's on to winter, when it gets cool, but not much rain, then comes the HOT season. Bear in mind that it's also hot during the rainy season, but not as hot as the HOT season. See, the capital letters mean it's really hot. Now you know. Oh, I posted some new pics of the smartest dog on our side of the river, and the first installment of some house photos that Blue took when he was here. Check out the Flickr site. There's a Google ad box on this page that's just dying to have you click on it. Come on, it's for my scholarship fund. (555) Have a Fun WeekEnd and enjoy the 'Funnies'.

Peace, Danny

There was an elderly man visiting a doctor for his check-up. As he wasleaving he asked the doctor if he could recommend a specialist for hiswife. "What's wrong with her?" asked the doctor. The old man explainedthat her hearing was getting so bad that it was almost embarrassing.The doctor said he knew of several specialists that could help but hewanted the old man to do a little test when he got home to help thedoctor determine the severity of her hearing loss. The doctor said"When you get home, make sure your wife's back is turned to you andask her a question. If she doesn't respond walk closer and ask heragain. Keep doing this until she answers and let me know the results".

That night when the old man opened the door of his home he could seehis wife in the kitchen preparing dinner. She was at the counter withher back to the door. "What's for dinner?" the old man asked. His wifedid not respond so he walked to the doorway of the kitchen and askedthe question again. Still, he was greeted with silence. This time hewalked up just behind her and asked once again "What's for dinner?" Hiswife spun around a bit agitated and said "For the third time, FriedChicken!!"

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Hi, Another day in paradise, another adventure. Today we really had a good one. It was an odd set of circumstances, but an adventure none the less. Just wait. I got plenty of mail on this one, but most of you missed the mark on the artist. I know why. You didn't know so you Googled it and for some reason the cover artist came up on the top of the search. Shame on Google, or someone. I won't rant about it though."__ __ things are gonna get easier, __ __ things'll get brighter (repeat)" Hint: That's the chorus and I think you knew that. It was done by a group of 'five' but it wasn't the Jacksons. Hmm. So, our handyman Pan came over to build a storage shed for all our left over paints and tiles. In the process, he called his wife to bring the pickup. He took Boot's keys from her bike to open the gate for his wife and set the keys on the rear bumper of my truck. I didn't know this and of course, I drove off to run an errand. When I returned, Boot was looking for her keys. When she asked Pan about the keys, he told her where he had put them. Oops. He got on his bike and went looking. Boot went spinning and we tried to calm her down. Pan returned keyless. Lisa and I walked down the road, each on each side, searching. No luck. Later the three of us got in the truck and re-traced my whole path. Still no luck. Later in the day Third came and took us to a shop to investigate some bags and silk-screening that is part of a project Lisa is working on. (more on that later) In the course of our visit, we mentioned the events of the day. He took us to a key shop and arranged for a guy to come to the house and make a new key for Boot's bike. House call and two keys came to about $7. Everything is calm once again. Bam has become more aggressive with regards to the property. Today a young man came to the house and she saw his feet under the front gate. She stormed out, barking her mean bark and it took a bit to calm her down. She was not pleased that someone was there. Good dog. And we thought she was going to be a greeter. Ha! Now that she plays in the front and back, the whole place is hers. She still has her gentle, playful side, but there will be no trespassing. Oh, before I forget even further, big thanks to all of you who wrote and told me the T.V. show I couldn't remember. It was Sea Hunt. Thanks again. Have a Terrific Thursday.

Peace, Danny

"Your own words are the bricks and mortar of the dreams you want torealize.Your words are the greatest power you have.The words you choose and use establish the life you experience."~Sonia Croquette

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Hi, It was a lazy day around the Big Brown House. The pool got vac'd this morning and the water was crystal clear. This led to a late morning swim since the sun was out. To the touch, the water felt cool, but once submerged, it was wonderful. That's not to say that it's all morning swims and bon-bons. There are things to attend to and problems to solve, as you will soon see. The song was "Fooled Around and Fell In Love" by Elvin Bishop. I remember Elvin when he played guitar in the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. Used to see them at The Trip on Sunset. That was back in '65. Boy, time flies. This next tune is from a family thing."Someday yeah, we'll put it together and we'll get it undone, Someday when your head is much lighter..." Clue: That was the first part of the first verse. You will know it for sure by the chorus. Oooh, I like this song. Thank Jimmy for getting it to you. The house is still going through it's break-in phase. Things need adjusting, fitting, banging and plain old fixing. Nothing is critical, the house is solid, nothing leaks but the longer the time from installation, the fuzzier memories get and the more responsibility seems to fade. It's really not the sort of stuff that should raise the blood pressure so I'm trying to keep some sort of perspective. Man, that word is getting used a lot. Hmm. Today Bam was a ball of energy. She was on fire, running all over the yard, instigating games, barking at things and making us laugh. Lisa was watering the trees and BamBam decided to try and drink from the hose. She kept biting at it and hitting it with her paw. Finally, she figured it out, got a drink and then started splashing in the puddle, the same way she did when we first brought her home. Crazy/smart little dog. She has a very calm, friendly relationship with Johan, but barks at his assistants, even though she knows them. We had some visitors today who had come over before. BamBam knows them 'in the house' and didn't bark at them today. Very interesting. We had some rolling thunder late this afternoon, but it still hasn't rained in several days. Not complaining a bit. The cloud formations have been amazing. Every kind of shape and shade has been paraded across the sky. It's nice to be able to take the time to not just notice, but also be awe-struck. Have a Wacky Wednesday.

Peace, Danny

"One can never consent to creep when one has the impulse to soar."~Helen Keller

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Hi, It's a big, wide, busy world out there. We've been tuning in to the Asian version of world news in English lately, to keep up with the hurricanes and any news about Thailand. The rain we get in Chiang Rai is not so bad considering what's going on in the Gulf. That's not to say that there hasn't been some bad flooding in some areas of the province. We're pretty lucky so far, and our property is situated so the fields will take any heavy run-off. I'm happy to report that there were a few out there that got the song on the first day. There's still time to figure it out."Free, on my own that's the way I used to be. Ah, but since I met you baby Love's got a hold on me...You know I __ __ __ __ __ __"Hint: The law of averages caught up with him. Hmm. The other day I was looking at the pool with Johan and we started talking about the bugs that get in the water. They start out under water and look like tiny fish, then they walk on the water and fly. He told me of a Thai client who said she wants to come back as one of these bugs. She thought the idea of being able to travel on all those levels and be indestructible would be pretty cool. Now there's a new perspective. More Driving Notes. Understanding what a sign or a light really means can make all the difference in the world. There are several intersections with green arrows that one from the west would assume mean 'free turn'. Well, I realized it couldn't mean that the first time I started to turn left (remember, it's backwards) on a red light/green arrow and saw cars coming from my right. The other night we saw a right arrow and knew it didn't mean 'free turn' because cars were coming from the other direction. As close as I can figure it, it means that if nothing's coming, take a shot, or that it's not a one-way. Sometimes streets change from two to one and you'd better know when and which ones. I forgot to tell you, I got the new radio installed in the truck. Now we can play CDs and plug the iPod in and listen to stuff we like. That not to say that I don't still like to listen to Thai radio. There's a station I found called 'Fat 93'. They play contemporary Pop/R&B and, as they say, 'Fat Tunes'. Just like being in the big city. Have a Happy Tuesday.

Peace, Danny

"If you're able to be yourself, then you have no competition.All you have to do is get closer and closer to that essence."~Barbara Cook

Monday, September 8, 2008

Hi, Right now it's Monday evening and it's so quiet. The Festival is over and we're happy. One thing I discovered is that the same bass line was used for about seventy-five percent of the songs. Hmm, I don't know what was going on with the rest of the music, but the bass and bass drums were locked in a beat that started driving us crazy. Now, peace. The song you were sure you knew was "Black is Black" by Los Bravos. Now let's jump ahead ten years and see if you know this:"I must have been through about a million girls I'd love 'em and I'd leave 'em alone I didn't care how much they cried, no sir Their tears left me cold as a stone..." Hint: Artist made a quiet name for himself as a lead guitarist before stepping up to the mic. Hmm. We had some big rain over the weekend, mostly at night. Sunday during the day was pretty nice and we went into town twice. We lunched at the Pizza Factory. There are only a few things we can get there, but it's fun. We went back to town for dinner and a little 'looking'. We ran into a Thai friend after dinner and she and Lisa discussed the current politics of the land. It's all over the news (the protest marches, etc.) and I hope you remember that we're in Chiang Rai, not Bangkok. It's like the distance between L.A. and the Bay Area. As I keep saying, it's calm as can be and what happens in Bangkok seems to stay in Bangkok. We'll see. It's just too bad so many countries have issued travel warnings. Even the BKK Post had an article about how the locals are trying to stay neutral. We've been playing with BamBam a lot lately. She's learned a bunch of things and is starting to really show a personality. She loves to play 'go get your ball'. I'd call it catch, but she doesn't throw or catch, yet. I can't wait until she's a little older and we can play with a frisbee. For now, she gets her ball when you toss it and then decides who she wants to have throw it next. As with most puppies, there are those moments when she just goes nuts. 'No' is a big word around here lately, especially when she gets wound up. Today she played in the front for a while and cracked us up. She spotted a leaf and of course, had to pick it up and bring it to Lisa. Let's hope she doesn't start doing that thing that cats do. Creepy. I think the work on the 'pool room' will begin by the end of this week. All the new gear has arrived at the shop. In about three weeks from now we'll have a whole new system. Well, in the words of Imogen Heap (Frou Frou) "I had to be somewhere, now where did I put it?" Have a Wonderful Week

Peace, Danny

PS Last Friday marked the 300th post of this Blog.

"Try not to become a person of success, but rather a person of value."~Albert Einstein

Friday, September 5, 2008

Hi, Here you are, at another Friday. We just finished ours. (That's so much fun to say) Today we went downtown for a few things and spent time at out respective crafts. I'll fill you in after we take care of some business. Nothing like a Rolling Stones song to bring out the music lovers (Ha). "Paint It Black" was the song. That was in '66. That same year, another song hit with a similar color scheme: "__ __ __, I want my baby back. It's gray, it's gray, since she went away, Ooh-Ooh What can I do 'cause I-I-I-I-I'm feelin' blue" Clues: I think I just gave you the best one. Group has Spanish name but they aren't. Hmm, remember, it was the 60s. That was a pretty brave thing to do. (get it?) Today, after our return from downtown, Lisa went into her studio to start a new project. It's so cool that she has a place to work. A permanent place dedicated to creating art. She's actually been rather productive since we've moved in. I, on the other hand (there's an odd phrase) have not been doing much, except absorbing the sounds around me, noting the cultural 'mash-up' that is modern Thai music. Well, when Blue and Ming were staying at the house, Ming retuned my guitar to what is called an open tuning (the six strings are tuned to play a chord when strummed, anywhere on the fret-board, you get that chord). The other day I finally picked up my guitar and got this wonderful surprise. It was just the spark I needed to get me back to my music. So, today while Lisa painted, I strummed and hummed and now I really feel 'at home' in my studio. Tomorrow I have to dive again for another screw. Some are the right kind and Johan wants one of those for comparison. If I could figure out how to make a weight belt, it would be a snap. The adventure continues. Does anyone remember an underwater show starring Lloyd Bridges (I think that was the actor), where he was a diver. Don't be shy, write me and ease my troubled mind. I'm going to go out on a limb and mention some sporting events happening this weekend. First off, Formula One is at the Spa circuit in Belgium. The US Open is happening (that's tennis) and there's probably some college football somewhere. Next weekend there's a U.S.C. game and of course we'll be rooting for our boys. Oh, did I mention they're ranked #1? See, this way I'll get lots of mail this weekend. Normally, we get no email on the weekends. It's a sad fact. You all go out and play and shop and visit and don't write your friends in foreign lands. (555) I think it time for the 'Funnies', sent to me by my good friend Lee. It's a great variation on a theme. Have a Great WeekEnd.

Peace, Danny

How to Plant Tomatoes

An old Italian lived alone in New Jersey . He wanted to plant his annual tomato garden, but it was very difficult work, as the groundwas hard. His only son, Vincent, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament:

Dear Vincent,I am feeling pretty sad, because it looks like I won't be able to plant my tomato garden this year. I'm just getting too old to bedigging up a garden plot. I know if you were here my troubles would be over. I know you would be happy to dig the plot for me, like in the old days.Love,Papa

A few days later he received a letter from his son:

Dear Pop, Don't dig up that garden. That's where the bodies are buried.Love,Vinnie

At 4 a.m. the next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologizedto the old man and left. That same day the old man received another letter from his son:

Dear Pop,Go ahead and plant the tomatoes now. That's the best I could do under the circumstances.Love you,Vinnie

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Hi, Another day, another set of new experiences. We discovered the other day that the screws that hold down the outlets at the bottom of the pool are made of the wrong kind of material and have already started to rust. Stay tuned for the 'deep' conclusion. Another gem seems to have eluded a lot of you. That's not to say that some of the sharp 'players' didn't get it. Here's more:"I see a red door and I want it __ __, no colors anymore I want them to turn black..." Clue: Do you want me to spell it out for you? In order to replace the screws on the bottom, one had to be removed so the replacement would be the proper length. I was offered the task of retrieving said screw. Fortunately, the pool is not very deep, but it's deep enough that it was hard to stay on the bottom long enough to unscrew the screw. I put on my goggles so I could see what I was doing. With the help of a friendly mermaid (I wrapped one arm around Lisa's leg), I was able to take a deep breath and stay down long enough to do the deed. It was very satisfying to get it out. Now Johan can take it with him to Chiang Mai and get stainless steel. I'm not sure who's going to take out the rest of them. Hmm. This afternoon the doorbell rang. We weren't expecting anyone. We opened the gate and a man walked into the yard talking a mile a minute in Thai. What? As he continued, I heard the name Kak, our landscape artist. Ah, another tree was being delivered. He drove a big truck down the driveway with a hoist tied to a very big tree. After a wait, more workers appeared and they promptly dug a hole and planted the tree. Kak arrived and took out one of his many books and showed us what the tree would look like. Beautiful, with purple flowers. Now we have to wait for it to fill out. I've gone on and on about how smart Bam-Bam is and you're probably saying 'Yeah, right'. Well, when she gets a bath or gets wet, all you have to do is put a towel on the ground and she gets on it and rolls onto her back and wiggles around. Smart or what? She also is very aware of the routine when Boot leaves the house. She's a little anxious until the gate closes, then she calms down. The interesting thing is, she wants to stay downstairs until Boot returns. We had her upstairs with us today and she kept wanting to go down. Finally, Lisa took her downstairs and she went into Boots room with a bone and waited. Like I said, smart. The Festival across the river is not about food at all. It's put on by an organization of Thai merchants showing Thai made products. The carnival atmosphere is part of the attraction. We went to a similar event months ago, but never went to the carnival. Another driving observation: Making my way through the streets can be viewed as a ballet on wheels or utter chaos. Today I chose the ballet. It made the whole experience more interesting. (Ha) That's all for now. Have a Thrilling Thursday.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Hi, What's that? I can't hear you, I have water in my ear. Yes, we swam today and it was wonderful. I can't remember when we last swam in our pool. (something inside doesn't want me to) Just the same, it was right on time. Somehow the classics live on. I'm not sure if this tune fits that label, but "Pinball Wizard" by The Who certainly is well remembered. It's from the Rock Opera "Tommy". Does anybody remember the movie? Whoa, what a crazy ride. Now try this:"I see the girls go by dressed in their summer clothes, I have to turn my head until my darkness goes..." Clue: Song about a dark hue, absence of light. Group name derived from a blues song. Oh yeah, that line is from the second half of the first verse, just to throw you. (Ha) Today we went out and did stuff. We checked out a new vet we read about. He and his wife run a very nice clinic and we'll take Bam to them when the time comes to have her spayed. Then we went around the corner and picked up the five pieces of art that we were having framed. They did a beautiful job on everything. Now we just have to put them on the walls. Then it was on to Big C for various things. The most important being a charger for our camera battery. I seem to have left it in America and it finally ran out. We got a little gadget that does the trick. Now we can take more pictures. Speaking of that, I have some catching up to do on the Flickr site. Stay tuned. It seems that four o'clock is the perfect time to walk into the pool and cool off. Today was no exception. After being out in the street, it was nice to just slide into the refreshing, clean water. Did I mention that it is clean. We were going to go to the Festival tonight but a storm hit just as we sat down for dinner. First a mighty wind came, blowing things open, and down and away. Then the rain came and we knew we were in for the evening. It's not so hard to stay home when there's nothing earth-shattering going on in the street. Chalk one up for small town living. Hmm. Well, it's time for a Wacky Wednesday

Peace, Danny

"Wise sayings often fall on barren ground,but a kind word is never thrown away."~Arthur Helps

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Hi, Things were pretty mellow around here today. We had a visit from the pool crew early. They cleaned the filter of the first day's dirt and set things up for day two. A good vacuum of the floor of the pool was in order. This afternoon the water looked pretty inviting, though it's not done yet. Maybe another day and we'll be able to take a dip. I see I sparked some memories with the current song. Several of you wrote and mentioned that you didn't have to look it up."He ain't got no distractions, can't hear those buzzers and bells. Don't see lights a flashin', plays by sense of smell...that deaf dumb and blind kid sure plays a mean __ __" Clue: The entire title is three words, but I would have given it away. There is a steady throb in the background, provided by what turns out to be a Food Festival across the river. I think we may go over tomorrow evening and check it out. I'm thinking it must be very loud over there. We'll just have to steer clear of the main stage. Who knows, we may discover some new treats. Boot is going with us so we'll be able to ask before we eat. (Ha) Before I forget, Linda reminded me about Labor Day and that it's an oxymoron. If some of you recall, I had a lot of fun with that one last year. Like 'Why don't you labor on Labor Day?' and stuff like that. Don't worry, I won't linger here. Today Bam-Bam went tearing out to the front gate. There was a dog out there. I was upstairs, but Lisa and Boot were downstairs yelling at her but she kept going, stopped at the gate and made friends with the dog. She's really getting bolder. She's also getting bigger. We're working on teaching her not to jump up. When she gets to adult size, it could be a real problem. As it is, who likes a dog jumping on them anyway? She minds, but still has a rather short attention span when it comes to certain things. As for the year in review, I remembered something else. We experienced two annual festivals last year. The first was Loy Krathong, when we went to the river and set the little baskets with candles and flowers into the river and sent paper balloons into the night sky. The second was the Songkran Festival. That was the week when water was flying everywhere. Looking forward to both of them again this year. Ok, back to work. Have a Happy Tuesday.

Monday, September 1, 2008

Hi, Today marks one year since we began our adventure in Thailand. A little later I'll try to recall some of the things we've learned/encountered. Stay with me. Many of you knew the weekend song. It was Bobby Caldwell's "What You Won't Do For Love". Now we switch gears. Know this?:"Ever since I was a young boy, I've played the silver ball..." Hint: Was it really just a game? Really though, it's from a piece of musical history. Why? So, a year has passed and I learned that it really is possible to drive on the other side of the road and not run into too many things. We spent a month in a hotel and it started to feel like home. One can live in a foreign country, not know the language and still get by. Air conditioning can become a necessary part of life. Just because you see dogs lying in the road doesn't mean something bad happened. Smiling faces don't always want something. A Big Brown House can be built in five months. Puppies will love you unconditionally. Acceptance is more than a notion, it can take work. A lower cost of living can brighten your day. Living in Thailand is not better or worse, it's just different. As the week rolls by I'll maybe be a little more specific, but there are so many things flying through my mind right now it's hard to focus. Today Johan arrived with two of his guys and set up an auxiliary pump and filter to clean out the Black Lagoon. In just a day we can see the bottom. We may be swimming this week. In a couple of weeks they'll start work on a new 'pump room'. All the corn fields around us have been harvested and plowed under. Yesterday about 14 men and women planted seeds in the field behind us. Who could imagine I'd be waiting for corn to sprout? (Ha) Last but not least, there's a carnival going on across the river and we can hear the bass (just the bass) of a live band. Oh my, it's supposed to go on for a week. I think if we play some music we won't hear it. We're going to go and check it out and I'll let you know what's happening. What we know so far is, lots of people were streaming in this evening. I guess it's a big deal. Have an Amazing Week.

Peace, Danny

"The difficulties we experiencealways illuminate the lessons we need most."~Unknown

Followers

Cast of Characters

In September of 2007, my wife Lisa and I moved to Chiang Rai Thailand. This site is my reflections, observations, and the daily happenings of an expatriot living in another land.

By now you're probably scratching your head, wondering 'who are these people?'. These are frequently mentioned names in the daily messages.

August (18) and C-Bass (23) are our GodSons. We've been in their lives since they were born. Jeff and Anna are their parents.Joe is Lisa's Dad, there are Bay Area Cousins, Valley Cousins, NH Cousins, and San Diego Cousins.

Here in Thailand, there's Natcha, who cooks, cleans and teaches us, her husband Gong, who takes care of the grounds and also cooks. Nitchanan is the 2 1/2 year old daughter of Natcha and Gong. Cat is a 21 year old Thai student who was with us since October 2013 and is now attending college. And then there's Daku, our Golden Retriever who is 9 years old. We got him when he was only 5 weeks old.I think that about does it for now,